Interstate crews help monitor massive blaze near Ipswich

Andrew Korner
Deputy Editor
Born and bred in Ipswich, Andrew Korner has been at the Queensland Times since 2007. Over the past decade Andrew has covered country rounds, courts, police and emergency services and been editor of the Ipswich Advertiser. Andrew is currently the deputy editor of the Queensland Times.

A MASSIVE bush fire on Ipswich's doorstep has ripped through 3300 hectares in just over a week and is showing no signs of going out any time soon.

Fire crews have been called up from South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania to assist the dozens of south-east Queensland crews on the ground and in the air near Flinders Peak.

Rural Fire Service incident controller Inspector Kaye Healing said the fire had been burning in mostly inaccessible country near Undullah and Washpool, where crews had been working hard to protect residents.

Ms Healing said there was still a rick the fire could burn into an area where people and property were at risk.

"We have done a lot of defensive burning around homes, but it can still get through the paddocks," she said.

"The mitigation work is being done today (Tuesday)."

Water bombing aircraft have been used on a regular basis since the fire started on November 24, in an attempt to control the threat. During gusty westerly winds on Sunday, the chopper was used to protect homes on Washpool Rd.

Firefighters had hoped to see the fire die down by Tuesday, but that has not happened and Ms Healing said it was hard to know how long crews would have to monitor the blaze.

"What we really need is water on the ground. That is the only thing that will put this fire out."

Paramedics have checked four firefighters for signs of dehydration and heat stress over the course of the fight, however none of those have required further treatment.

As of 11am yesterday, an advice warning was still in place for the fire, which continued to burn between Washpool Rd, Undullah Rd, Wild Pig Creek Rd and Mount Elliot Rd, Undullah.